Control and indicator system for machine tools



Dec. 9, 1952 A. E. DRISSNER CONTROL AND INDICATOR SYSTEM FOR MACHINE TOOLS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.

Dec. 9, 1952 A. E. DRISSNER 2,620,547

' CONTROL AND INDICATOR SYSTEM FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed Dec. 24, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 g INVEN TOR. 97 4 3 BY C? W/ Dec. 9, 1952 A. E. DRISSNER 2,620,547

CONTROL- AND INDICATOR SYSTEM FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed Dec. 24, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ZOO /8 /60 I40 /Z0 /0@ 80 6O 40 20 360 .340 520 300 280 260 240 Z20 200 komr/o/v //v DEGREES (p/e5cr/a/v 05 R07J4770/V--) INVENTQR.

A. E. DRISSNER 2,620,547

CONTROL AND INDICATOR SYSTEM FOR MACHINE TOOLS Dec. 9, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 24, 1948 INVENTOR. BY 37%? 3 operator can stop the machine at a particular position by observing the external indicator and operating the stopping device.

A further object of my invention is to provide an exterior indicator to indicate the position of the working parts of the machine at any time during a cycle of operation.

A still further object of my invention is to provide indexed visible indicator discs mounted externally of the machine on an indicator shaft which is synchronously geared to an operating cam shaft of the machine.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a front picture view of an automatic spindle machine with the working cams and other internal gearing superimposed thereon and illustrating the position of the front indicator dial;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view along the line 22 of Figure 1 with certain parts omitted and showing the driving connection of the top cam shaft to the bottom cam drum shaft;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view along line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing the gearing of the external indicators to the top cam shaft;

Figure 4 is a cam diagram for a particular operation of the machine;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the external indicator dial on the front side of the machine with marks on the indicator dial peripherally spaced in coordination with the cam diagram of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a rear view of the machine with the exterior partly broken away and with covers and guards in place.

My improvement of a visible indicator mechanism is illustrated in my drawings as being mounted in an automatic spindle machine, however, it is understood that this visible indicator may be incorporated in many other machines which have cam engagement members or cam rollers engaging working cams internally of the machine. Although I generally speak of my indicator as indicating externally of the machine the position of the cam engagement members of rollers on the respective working and tool slide cams internally of the machine, it is understood that this indicator will also indicate the idle time of the machine and the chucking time. In Figure 1 of my drawing I illustrate afront picture view of a large automatic spindle machine with the working cams and other internal gearings superimposed thereon to better show the position of the cams within the machine housing. This large automatic spindle machine operates in a cycle of operation, as shown by the cam diagram in Figure 4, and similar to the spindle machine described in the patent to C. W. Simpson et al., which was issued March 10, 1936, and bears Patent No. 2,033,490.

The automatic spindle machine illustrated in Figure 1 has an upper cam shaft [0 and a lower or main cam shaft ll mounted in a housing or frame l2. The upper cam shaft 10 and the lower or main cam shaft I l are gearingly connected together by a train of beveled gears l3 and i4 interconnected by gear shaft l5, which, as is best illustrated in Figure 2 of my drawings, extends vertically and substantially at right angles to the upper cam shaft 10 and the main cam shaft H. A gear shaft [6 and beveled gears I! connect the beveled gears I3 to the upper cam shaft ID. The shaft 16 extends at an angle to the shaft I0 and also to the shaft l5. The beveled gears M are geared by means of a gear 55 on a shaft 56 to a side cam shaft l8 which extends transverse of the main cam shaft H and is geared thereto by beveled gears I9 (see Fig. 2). These gears along with the gear shafts synchronously transmit the rotational movement of the main cam shaft H to the upper cam shaft In. As is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of mydrawings these cam shafts, along with the gears and shafts interconnecting them, are entirely enclosed in and supported by the housing l2 of the automatic spindle machine. The machine also has an indexible spindle carrier 51 carrying work supporting spindles 58 and indexed' by mechanism 64 from one tooling station to another in a cycle of operation as indicated in the cam diagram of Figure 4. Each of these work supporting spindles 58 is equipped with a chuck 59 to grip and hold the stock while it is being machined in the tooling stations. The tools which machine the stock in each of the operations have been omitted from the drawing for purposes of clarity. The machine is preferably driven by an electric motor 6|, controlled by a suitable switch 35 or 35A. This motor drives the main drive shaft 1 I through a gear train 61 and a hand operated clutch 65 having a handle 36, which is outlined in white in Figure 1. The clutch 65 is also operable by a handle 35A on the rear of the machine, as shown in Figure 6.

The main cam shaft ll supports and thereby rotates an end tool slide drum 20, threading slide drums 2|, a stock feed stop drum 22, a chucking drum 23, and a stock feed drum 24. Simi larly, the side cam shaft l 8, which extends transversely to the main shaft l I, supports and rotates lower side slide drums 40. The upper cam shaft I0 supports and rotates upper side slide drums 25, and upper threading attachment cam drums 26. Likewise, the interconnecting gear shaft 15,

as is illustrated in Figure 2 supports and rotates.

an intermediate side slide cam drum 21. While the machine is operating, the shafts and drums are continuously oiled by a lubricant pump 62 and lubricant distribution system 63, thus completely filling the inside of the housing with oil vapors.

The front and back sides of housing 12 are provided with windows which provide access to each cam drum. In Figure 1 these windows are outlined in white lines; the white line 28 outlining the window for giving access to the tool slide cam drum 20; the line 29 outlining the window for giving access to the threading slide cam drum 2! the line 30 outlining the window for giving access to the threadin attachment cam drum 26; and the line 3| outlining the window for giving access to the intermediate side slide cam drum 21. Each of these windows is provided with a closing plate 32 as shown in Figure 2. It is understood that windows are provided in both the front The operator must' of the coverplates'fl fro'm'dts iWindOW tOTSee a cam' drmn within the housing l2..;:!1hisremovi-ng of the cover platesrand guards. is dangerous and permits oil fumes in the housing-I2 to-exit into- 11 the 'ai-r' a1l= about machine; l The operatorl cannot 1215 see the chuckingdr stock feeding cam drums 23 and' il l :iwhile i cranking 'the 1 machine. or while looking-.thfoughtany of these-1 windows 9 Foi the purpose of a clearly illustrating: my inl vention' f will referto the-"tool slide -cam drum 10 20 and th'e respectivecam orroller engagement memberfifl which engages the cam 34- on the; tooslideldrum lw to'move 'the end tool slide 68. It i understoodthat simiiar' cam engagement mem bers' or rollers 'and "camsare provided' 'on-th other cam drums -foroperating the chucking i mechanism -and the feeding mechanism -of the machineas -well as other tooling devices These cam-drums operate inisynchronous timed-relation? andzlin a cycle ofoperation -as indicatedbi thecanr'diag'ram -.of="-Fi'gi1re 4; ---'-It is also understoo that-the 'other controlling cam drums haV-edifiei" ent locations in the machine and are suitab'ly connectedl-"to thel main cam shaft H and *the upper c'am shaft I0 as -hereinbefore described-t0 operate in synchr'onous movement with' the toolslide *dru mM; r

Th -.-workirig eycleofthemachin'e as isillus trated in th cam diagram of Figure 4 includesa time foi'ichuck opening and closing-ya time for the 'traii'el of toot-slides} a time ior indexing; *-ancl'- an idle time. Many-tims the operator -would'- like to stop the machine during 'one of these times sothattheworking parts ofthe machine are in-a particular posi-tieny Previously, it has been necessary for him to remove the guards which enclose the wor-kingparts of the machine and-then remove a cover-plate32'froma'window'"- in the front "or backside of the -machine 'andcrank the machine by hand until the cam drums 40 are fin 'correct position to position the working" 1 Y tools or chuc-k as he wants themz -I have dis covered that it is very convenient and saves much time if the operator 'canknowthe exact position of the cam engagement -niembers-or-4 rollersuon the respective -cams throughout the workirig cycle of the-machine.--"

Therefore '1 have provided" a- -front visible "in dioator dial or disc 4 l and a rear visible indica tor or diso 42.- These visible indicators 41 and 42 are preferably' 'ofthe disc'type andhavemarks'. on the-face'thereofperipherally spaced", as shown in th' enlarged-Fig'ure 5; to show thedifferent" period's 'of time ofthe working cycle of the'machine. A pointenfl is mounted on the machine housing- 12 by 'screws-it'for each -'of the dial. indioator's} 4 l and 421 Each pointer- 11' is aligned withits respective disc-"ordial to facilitate the readingof the'dial'by the operator;

With i'nyindicatordials M and 42 the operag0 tor "can stand--in frontof the machine or in back o f the "machine to operate it and doesnot haveto keep stepping around the machine. I have found it also-advisable to 'mounta' main eleotrical 'switch '35,- which controls the start-" 5 ing and stopping of the-f drive motor -of*the machine-nextto theindicator-dial It is-also noted that-thehandoperated clutch"'36,-which' maybe 'thrdwnput-to stop the machine "is with in reach=of=the operatorwhile-he-is watching "7 theiindicator diala v In Figure- 3 I illustrate an indicator-shaft?! extending-through the front wall 38'and'the'rear walk-39 6f the 'machinehousing- [2 to support and rotate these visible indicator dials land-421" .upp'er camz sha'ft: 0 ito provide 112. synchronous The front visible: indicators "is fastenedxto one endofi thisindicato'r: shaft .131 andv the rear visible e indicator .42 fastened to the 1other =1end5 11 It is understood .--thatone of .these. visible indicators =5 may be omitted, but I have foundlit lconvenientil" to the operator'to have theiindicators or dials on both the front andibacksides'of themaohine The indicator shaft 31 is .intergeared iwithl th'e movement 1 therebetween :and' thus'lprovide syna chronousi movement with-fi the-soperatingincam 5:1 drumsin the' machine; .whereby each indicator dialindicates the lpositioniiofl a: camzengagement membe'ron the respective cam at anytime dur--'- ing ;th t oper ation of rthef m'a'chinet iI have: provided the upper cam shaftil fl with a gear fl and the indicatori shaft; 31 with a: {56841 54 Iwvhic'h in mesh withiithe :gear:.43-to interconnect these--'- shafts flrandxlmix I The fifrontrivisible.indicator 'dial 4 l ,l illustrated in Figurefi; I is peripherally markedalfor-a' co pletelibycle 'sof operationas shown in ithe cam diagram. .ofsFigureiAz In this'iautomatic' spindle machine: :one :revolutiom of the main. camshaft; ii ll controls-iaacomplete cycle of operatiomof the machine's: i This zfront- :indicator dial 4 l 'asb is 1 best illustrated in Figure: 5 shows marks aboutthe zperipheryi thereof' representing:':the. :fhigh: and: ifilowif points Lon the itcolv-slide camsgfith r chuck:- openi: position; and index position o' the :machiheaasQwell as the..id1ertime during Y onewyci'e of operation. 'The travel of cam en gagement-z member w on cam 34' 'oftool -slid drum :2fl:f:between thei f ihi'gh and --1ow point is represented on M the idisc laby 1 the i tool slide space 45. The -high point'ontheindicator-disc or dial. 4150f Figure 5'i's the-.. high-- .-poi-ntas in dicated cby an arrow on-the J cam:- diagram of Figure: 4; -Similarly;the -flow -point on thein dicatori dial is the- -lowi point I as indicated by an arrow on the cam-diagram:

In the tool -slide partof the-eycle of operation' of theimac'hine; asshown': by-the-eamdiagram on Fig.1:4, Jthe" tool-on the tool slide-68 first= ap-- H proaches the "work piecedrom its--resting:pos'i-"-- tion. (until it reaches-the low point;- then the- 1001:; gin's to lead or feed into the-work -p1ece.--- The low. point indicates the position of the tools as they havemoved forwardto thework piece and are -readyto start tooling the work piece:-='- heldin a work supportingspindle 58'. The tool" leads or feeds" into the workpiece until the cam engagement member-reaches the high point on thetoolislide cam The-high point, as indicatedby the arrow :on the 5 cam" diagram on Figure 4;: is synonymous with theposition of tools when they have-reached the end. o'f the' tooling on-awork pieoe heldin the WOlk supporting *spindle 58 and are: about-to-be retracted -from-theworkpiece'; ::Afterreaching. the-"high -pointthe tool-* 1s returned from the workpiece to its-resting"? position. In the 'cam diagrams, I have illustrat ed the approach to the low point of thecamand the l'ead or -feed in positionof the cam *(that1'1 part' of the cam betweenthe lowand high-points) as having-' the-same*speed: However, the 'ap-j preach speed-may-be f-aste'r than'the leador' feed in spiced as indicatedbythedotted line-'in-Fig ure v The machinemay-be stoppedwith the cam engaging member 33 on any other position on-the. cam 34 without dangerously'opening the housing and without'hand cranking the (machine into position; When the operator wants tostop thev A machine with-the camengagement' member or cam roller 33 on the high point of the cam 34 on cam drum 20, he simply and safely watches the external indicator dial 4% until the pointer 41 is aligned with the correct position, labeled high, on the tool slide portion 45 and throws out the within the reach clutch 36. Figure 1 of my drawings shows the indicator dial or disc with the cam engagement member 33 on the low part of the cam 34 of the tool slide drum 29, which is carried internally of the housing by the main or lower cam shaft l I. The operator does not have to remove the guards, which completely cover the working tools of the machine, and the cover plates on the windows of the frames to determine exactly the position of the cam engagement members on the cams.

The Index space on the periphery of the dial covers the space during which time the machine indexes as indicated on the cam diagram of Figure 4 and a center line 49 thereon represents the midway position on the cam diagram as indicated by the arrow 49. It is noted that during this indexing time the working tools are all out of the way and in their resting place, the chucks are all closed on the respective stock pieces, and the spindles are indexed from the tooling station to the next tooling station. The operator can stop the machine during this indexing time by aligning the Index space of the dial with the pointer 41 and throwing out the feed clutch or pushing the stop button of the main electrical switch. Throwing out th feed clutch with the center line 49 of the Index space aligned with the pointer 47 stops the machine at the midway position of the indexing time as indicated by arrow 49 on the cam diagram of Figure 4.

The chuck open space of the indicator dial covers a small part of the periphery of the dial because the chuck 59 in spindle 58 is opened and closed quickly by chucking cam drum 23. In Figure the center of the chuck open space has a guide line 55 which indicates to the operator when the chuck is open. The guide line 16 represents the midway position on the chucking part of the cam diagram as indicated by the arrow 46. Thus when the operator Wants to stop the machine with the chuck 59 in spindle 58 open, as indicated by the arrow 43 in the cam diagram, he aligns the chuck open space of the dial 4! with the dial pointer E! and throws out the feed clutch 36. Throwing out the feed clutch 36 stops the operation of the machine with the chuck open.

The peripheral spaces of the indicator dial identified by the reference character 59 represent the noncritical and idle times of operation of the machine. The main times at which the operator must know the exact position of the cam engagement members on the cams are during the tool slide, the indexing, and the chucking operations. Thus, the remaining part of the cycle of operation has been represented on the dial by the reference character 59. The operator can stop the machine at any desired position by disconnecting the feed clutch 36 mounted on both sides of the machine. The main electrical switch 35 of the machine, which is mounted on both the front and back sides of the machine also may be operated to start and stop the machine.

My indicator dials not only eliminate the danger of the operator getting hurt, but also are very practical and very useful to the operator of the machine. In operating the machine, the operator needs only to watch either of the visible indicator dials 4| or 12 to know exactly when the chuck will open and close and to know exactly when the cam engagement member will reach a predetermined point on the cam rotating in-,

ternally of the housing 2. The operator does not have to remove any guard and cover plates and thereby endanger himself while observing or feeling the rotating cams in the machine.

When the pointer 41 and desired mark on the indicator disc or visibl indicator are aligned. the operator shuts down the motor of the machine by pushing the stop button of switch 35 or stops the machine from operating by throwing out the.

feed clutch. The operator can stop the machine while it is at an idle period or at anyother given time during the cycle of operation, and Without hand cranking the machine. The operator, thus, saves much time and work every time a new bar or piece of stock i inserted in the chuck, as well as in setups and other operations, since he can know the exact position of the internal cam rollers on the internal cams by watching the external indicator dial, which is peripherally spaced according to the respective cam diagrams.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A control and indicator system for an automatic spindle machine having a frame with a front and a back and carrying a given plurality of work holding spindles each provided with a chuck to chuck a workpiece, mechanism to index said spindles to positions equal in number to said given plurality with one position of each of said spindles being a work chucking position to load a new workpiece, a tool slide reciprocable forward and backward once each cycle and adapted to carry tools of a number equal to said given plurality to tool the work held by the spindles, a tool slide cam drum rotated once each cycle to drive said tool slide forward and backward by means of a cam follower, a chucking cam drum operable once each cycle to open and close the chuck on the one of said spindles which is in the work chucking position, an electric motor driving said cam drums by means of a geared power train and a main cam shaft, an upper cam shaft geared to said main cam shaft, a lubrication system for lubricating the moving parts of said machine and which creates a lubricant mistladen atmosphere, and guards enveloping and hiding said moving parts and confining said lubricant mist, said control and indicator system comprising, a control feed clutch disposed in said power train to selectively control the power applied to said camdrums and cam shafts, first and second manual clutch levers disposed on the front and rear of and externally of said machine at a location near said tool slide, first and second start-stop electrical switches in circuit relationship with said electric motor to control the energization of same and physically disposed on the front and rear of and externally of said machine near said manual clutch levers, first and second revoluble indicator dials disposed on the front and rear of and externally of said ma chine near said manual clutch levers, a stationary pointer cooperating with each of said indicator dials, indicia on the periphery of each of said dials indicating an open condition of the chuck which is in the work chucking position, indicatin the indexing interval between successive cycles, and indicating the high and low points of the cam on the tool slide cam drum, a revoluble indicator shaft fixedly attached to said indicator dials and journaled in said frame near said upper cam shaft, and gears interconnecting said upper cam shaft and said indicator shaft to rotate said indicator shaft once each cycle.

2. A control and indicator system for an automatic spindle machine having a frame carrying a given plurality of work holding spindles each provided with a chuck to chuck a workpiece, mechanism to index said spindles to positions equal in number to said given plurality with one position of each of said spindles being a work chucking position to load a new workpiece, a tool slide reciprocable forward and backward once each cycle and adapted to carry tools of a number equal to said given plurality to tool the work held by the spindles, a tool slide cam drum rotated once each cycle to drive said tool slide forward and backward by means of a cam follower, a chucking cam drum operable once each cycle to open and close the chuck on the one of said spindles which is in the work chucking position, an electric motor driving said cam drums by means of a geared power train and a main cam shaft, an upper cam shaft geared to said main cam shaft, a lubrication system for lubricating the moving parts of said machine and which creates a lubricant mist-laden atmosphere, and guards enveloping and hiding said moving parts and confining said lubricant mist, said control and indicator system comprising, a control feed clutch disposed in said power train to selectively control the power applied to said cam drums and cam shafts, a clutch lever disposed externally of said machine at a location near said tool slide, a start-stop electrical switch in circuit relationship with said electric motor to control the energization of same and physically disposed ex ternally of said machine near said manual clutch lever, a revoluble indicator dial disposed externally of said machine near said manual clutch lever, a stationary pointer cooperating with said indicator dial, indicia on the periphery of said dial indicating an open condition of the chuck which is in the work chucking position, indicating the indexing interval between successive cycles, and indicating the high and low points of the cam on the tool slide cam drum, a revoluble indicator shaft fixedly attached to said indicator dial and journaled in said frame near said upper cam shaft, and gears interconnecting said upper cam shaft and said indicator shaft to rotate said indicator shaft once each cycle.

ALFRED E. DRISSNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,449,554 Schoonover Mar. 27, 1923 1,823,883 Bleeker Sept. 22, 1931 2,033,490 Simpson et al. Mar. 10, 1936 2,196,231 Ridgway Apr. 9, 1940 2,279,569 Jelinek et a1. Apr. 14, 1942 2,416,539 Nenninger et al. Feb. 25, 1947 2,456,139 Miller et al Dec. 14, 1948 

